News

Porsche has agreed to sell its holdings in sports car makers Bugatti and Rimac to an investor consortium led by U.S.-based HOF Capital, co-founded by Onsi Sawiris, former head of Egypt’s powerful Sawiris family, Reuters reported.

The deal includes Porsche’s 45% stake in Bugatti Rimac — a joint venture established in 2021 — as well as its 20.6% stake in Rimac Group. No additional details were disclosed.

The move comes as Porsche reassesses its strategy following a sharp decline in financial performance. The company reported a 93% drop in operating profit in 2025, with profit margins...

Kenyan President William Ruto has drawn criticism after comments about Nigerian-accented English sparked backlash on social media, the BBC reported.

Speaking to Kenyans living in Italy, Ruto said that Kenyan English was among the best in the world and suggested that Nigerian English could be difficult to understand, prompting laughter from the audience.

The remarks were widely criticized online, with users from Nigeria and other African countries accusing him...

Kazakhstan has allocated a record 1.5 billion tenge for defense in 2026, equivalent to about 1% of the country’s GDP, Deputy Defense Minister Askar Mustabekov said. The funding will be used to procure new weapons systems and military equipment.

«This includes unmanned aerial vehicles, kamikaze drones and related systems,» Mustabekov said.

He declined to specify the countries supplying the equipment, citing confidentiality.

A kamikaze drone, also known as a loitering munition, is a precision-guided weapon designed to strike a target by colliding with it and detonating on impact.

Read...

New double-deck «Aurora» trains have arrived in Uzbekistan from a Russian manufacturer. Thanks to their design, they can accommodate nearly twice as many passengers as regular trains. Local authorities hope this will help alleviate the high demand for train tickets in the country.

The trains feature a modern design, with well-lit carriages equipped with soft seats, footrests, tables, air conditioning, water coolers and automatic doors. Information displays have also been installed for passenger convenience.

Meta said it will lay off about 8,000 employees, or roughly 10% of its workforce, as it increases spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and hiring, The Associated Press reported.

The company said the cuts are aimed at improving efficiency and enabling new investments, and it plans to leave around 6,000 positions unfilled.

The layoffs come as Meta expects a significant rise in expenses, projecting 2026 costs between $162 billion and $169 billion, driven largely by AI infrastructure and compensation for specialized talent.

Separately, Microsoft said it will offer voluntary buyouts to thousands of U.S. employees. The company plans to...

Despite a broader global trend toward easing monetary policy, the start of 2026 introduced new uncertainty tied to the conflict in the Middle East. In response, central banks in the world’s largest economies have avoided firm forward guidance, preserving flexibility to react quickly to potential inflation shocks. Against this backdrop, the National Bank of Kazakhstan kept its benchmark rate unchanged at 18%.

Global rate and inflation trends

A quarterly review of key monetary policy indicators across 80 countries shows the median policy rate declined to 5.50% as of mid-April 2026, from 5.75% in December. At the...

Nurzhas Sadyrbayev, a young singer from Kazakhstan, has won «Voice Beyond Horizon,» the international vocal project initiated by Dimash Qudaibergen. He received the title of «Star of Fame.»

According to Dimashnews, the project aims to promote Kazakh culture alongside a vocal competition. Participants traveled through Turkestan, Aktau and Almaty, with the final held in Astana.

Eight artists from Kazakhstan, Italy, Serbia, Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan competed in the contest.

A U.S. special forces soldier has been charged with using classified information about a military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to make more than $400,000 in an online prediction market, the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors allege that Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, used his access to sensitive information related to the January operation to place bets on Polymarket regarding Maduro’s removal from power. He now faces multiple charges, including fraud, theft of government information and unlawful use of confidential data.

According to officials, Van Dyke was involved in planning and executing the operation and had signed...

An internal Pentagon email outlines potential measures the U.S. could take against NATO allies it views as uncooperative during the war with Iran, according to a report by Reuters.

The proposals reflect frustration within the Trump administration over some allies’ reluctance to grant access, basing rights and overflight permissions (ABO) for U.S. operations. The email describes such support as a minimum expectation within the alliance.

Among the options under consideration is suspending certain countries from key NATO roles, with Spain specifically mentioned as a potential target. The document suggests such a move would carry symbolic weight, even if it...

The European Union has adopted its 20th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes Kazakhstan-based United Trading Group. EU officials said the company may have been involved in schemes to circumvent export restrictions, as well as in supplying products used in high-tech manufacturing.

Read also: Beyond borders: A UK lawyer’s roadmap to avoiding sanctions in Central Asia.

The sanctions package targets 16 organizations from third countries, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. According to EU authorities in Brussels, these entities are suspected of supplying dual-use goods or...

An Almaty resident has launched a heartfelt challenge on Threads, offering to give away her school prom dress to 11th-grade students whose families cannot afford expensive outfits.

«Many of us have dresses hanging at home that were worn only once — for those same four to five hours… I want to give my dress to a graduate who cannot afford an outfit for that day. Let her also feel celebration, confidence and beauty,» she wrote.

Initiative spreads across cities and countries

The idea quickly gained traction, with women from other cities and even...

Platform workers should be guaranteed basic labor benefits — including the right to paid vacation and sick leave — according to Kazakh lawmaker Bibigul Zheksenbai. She has also proposed introducing a minimum hourly wage for platform workers.

Proposal targets drivers and couriers

The initiative would apply to taxi drivers and couriers, whose number has already reached more than 394,000 in Kazakhstan. Although these workers effectively operate under structured conditions — including schedules, tariffs and rating systems — they are not formally protected by employment contracts.

«To ensure adequate protection for workers in the platform...

Heartburn is a common experience — a burning sensation or chest discomfort after a heavy meal, coffee or spicy food. In most cases, it’s temporary. But when it becomes frequent, it may indicate an underlying condition.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a chronic condition caused by the repeated backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus.

What causes GERD

Between the esophagus and the stomach is a muscular valve known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Normally, it closes after food passes through. If this function is impaired, stomach acid can flow back into the esophagus, irritating its lining.

Police in the Karaganda region, Kazakhstan, have detained a man who allegedly spent five years hiding from authorities in a concealed space inside a toilet compartment at a private home.

The 43-year-old suspect had been on an international wanted list on charges of extorting 117 million tenge (about $250,000) and making threats, according to law enforcement officials.

Arrest made during operation

The man was discovered during an investigative operation. Authorities said he had managed to evade capture for years by maintaining strict secrecy about his whereabouts.

He has now been arrested and placed in a temporary detention facility. A pretrial...

Kazakhmys Copper, which consolidates the copper assets of Vladimir Kim, will not delist from the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange. The decision was made by the company’s sole shareholder.

The shareholder reversed an earlier decision, announced April 14, to voluntarily delist the company’s shares from KASE. As a result, the shares will remain listed on the exchange, although they are not actively traded.

Asset structure and ownership

Kazakhmys Copper manages assets previously held by Kazakhmys Corporation before their sale to Nurlan Artykbayev, owner of the construction firm Qazaq Stroy.

In January 2025, subsidiary Qaz Copper Group was established...

Since the beginning of 2026, 13,989 so-called temporary residence permits (TRPs) have been issued to Russians in Kazakhstan. This is a small number, even considering that it is only the beginning of the year. In 2022, the first year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 138,259 TRPs were issued. In 2025, 69,894 TRPs were issued, indicating that over the past four years, the number of TRPs has nearly halved.

This trend could indicate several things. First, Russian residents may be physically leaving Kazakhstan. Second, they may be moving to the «next level» by obtaining a permanent residence permit (PRP). The...

The Russian Ministry of Culture has refused to issue a distribution permit for the film «Hana Korea,» which was scheduled for release in theaters on April 30.

According to distributor U Films, the ministry cited a rule allowing permits to be denied «in other cases stipulated by federal laws.» No further explanation was provided.

«We are deeply sorry that Russian audiences will not have the legal opportunity to see this touching film,» U Films said in a statement.

The film, directed by Danish filmmaker Frederik Sølberg, tells the story of Hyesun, who flees from...

The Florida mansion featured in the iconic film “Scarface” has been listed for $237 million, potentially making it the most expensive residential property ever offered in Miami-Dade County.

In the movie, the estate serves as the home of drug lord Frank Lopez. It is where Tony Montana first visits for key meetings and later meets Elvira, before ultimately killing Lopez and taking over his business.

The property is located on Key Biscayne and spans approximately one hectare. It offers direct ocean access and includes 862 meters of waterfront with views of Miami. One of its most distinctive features is...

The Kaspi.kz app has introduced a new «split bill» feature that allows users to divide payments among multiple people after a shared order at a café or restaurant, according to Finratings.

How it works

The process is straightforward: one person pays the full bill using Kaspi QR. After the transaction, a «split amount» button appears in the payment details. The payer can then send a link to others in the group. Each participant can select their portion — either specific items or a share of the total — and pay directly within the app.

Simplifying group payments

The...

A former employee of a media company founded by YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson has filed a lawsuit alleging workplace harassment and gender bias, The Associated Press reported.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in North Carolina by Lorrayne Mavromatis, names MrBeastYouTube, LLC and GameChanger 24/7, LLC as defendants. It accuses the companies of violating federal law that guarantees eligible employees unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical reasons, including childbirth. Mavromatis also filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging discrimination based on sex, pregnancy and retaliation.

Mavromatis said she continued working immediately after giving birth, including...

The escalation of conflict in the Middle East, along with the risk of a closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, is putting significant pressure not only on global energy markets but also on the economic stability of countries across the region.

Amid rising geopolitical uncertainty and the potential disruption of supply chains, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its GDP growth forecasts for Gulf states, sharply lowering its outlook.

Qatar sees sharp downgrade, followed by rebound

Qatar experienced the most dramatic revision among Gulf countries. The IMF cut its 2026 growth forecast by...

A bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the U.K. has completed its passage through parliament, marking a major step in the government’s effort to create a «smoke-free generation,» The Guardian reported.

Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, will never be legally sold tobacco products. The legislation is expected to become law next week after receiving royal assent, following its introduction in November 2024 and final approval by the House of Lords after amendments from the House of Commons.

Ministers say the policy aims to phase out...

Kazakh economist Rassul Rysmambetov has proposed increasing accountability for senior civil servants by introducing a 15-year ban on leaving the country after stepping down from office. He argued that top officials should have to live with the outcomes of the systems and policies they helped create.

Proposal to tighten accountability

Speaking on the Check Point Talk YouTube podcast, Rysmambetov said Kazakhstan needs to improve the performance of top managers in the quasi-public sector and senior government officials to curb corruption and capital flight. One of the key issues, he said, is that officials can...

A robot developed by Sony AI has defeated elite table tennis players in a notable step for robotics in competitive sports. The system, called Ace, won three out of five matches against elite opponents but lost both matches against professional players, winning only one game across those contests, The Guardian reported.

Ace operates using an eight-jointed robotic arm mounted on a movable base and relies on multiple cameras positioned around the court. By analyzing visual data, including the ball’s logo, the system estimates spin and trajectory in milliseconds.

The results, obtained under official competition rules, highlight progress in a...